Power module and air conditioner

ABSTRACT

A power module is a power module having a PFC (power factor correction) function. The power module includes: IGBTs in a pair; first diodes in a pair connected to the IGBTs in a pair, the first diodes forming a reverse-conducting element; and second diodes in a pair connected to the IGBTs in a pair, the second diodes having a rectifying function. The power module further includes a driving IC that drives the IGBTs in a pair, and P terminals in a pair provided independently of each other. The P terminals are connected to one ends of the first diodes in a pair, respectively, the one ends being opposite to the other ends of the first diodes to which the IGBTs in a pair are connected.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/727,215 filed Dec. 26, 2012, which claims benefit of priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-032849, filed on Feb. 17, 2012, the entire content of each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a power module having a PFC (power factor correction) function to correct a power factor, and an air conditioner provided with the power module.

2. Description of the Background Art

A power module having a PFC function to correct a power factor has been known to enhance efficiency in the use of electric power.

A suggested structure of this power module follows a relationship of elements connected to each other described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-110981. To be specific, this suggested structure includes semiconductor switching elements in two phases (semiconductor switching elements in a pair), diodes in a pair connected to the semiconductor switching elements in corresponding phases, and a terminal (P terminal) to which the diodes in a pair are commonly connected.

The aforementioned structure where the semiconductor switching elements in two phases share one terminal (P terminal) makes an impedance relatively high that is common to the semiconductor switching elements in two phases, and generates a phenomenon of serious oscillation in the power module. This results in a problem in that the oscillation phenomenon increases noise between the gates and the emitters of the semiconductor switching elements in two phases during high-speed switching.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide technique capable of suppressing noise to be generated in semiconductor switching elements in a pair.

The present invention is intended for a power module having a PFC (power factor correction) function. The power module includes: semiconductor switching elements in a pair; first diodes in a pair connected to the semiconductor switching elements in a pair, the first diodes forming a reverse-conducting element; and second diodes in a pair connected to the semiconductor switching elements in a pair, the second diodes having a rectifying function. The power module further includes a driving part that drives the semiconductor switching elements in a pair, and terminals in a pair provided independently of each other. The terminals are connected to one ends of the first diodes in a pair, respectively, the one ends being opposite to the other ends of the first diodes to which the semiconductor switching elements in a pair are connected.

The semiconductor switching elements in a pair are connected through the first diodes in a pair to the terminals in a pair. This allows reduction of a common impedance acting on the semiconductor switching elements in a pair, leading to suppression of noise to be generated in the semiconductor switching elements in a pair.

These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing the structure of an air conditioner of a first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the structure of a power module of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing the structure of an air conditioner of a second preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the structure of a power module of the second preferred embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing the structure of a related air conditioner; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the structure of a power module provided in the related air conditioner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Preferred Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing the structure of an air conditioner of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner includes a power module 1 having a PFC (power factor correction) function to correct a power factor, an AC power supply 2, inductances 3 a and 3 b in a pair, a smoothing capacitor 4, an inverter 5, and a resistor 6.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the structure of the power module 1 of the first preferred embodiment. The power module 1 includes IGBTs 11 a and 11 b being Si-IGBTs in a pair, first diodes 12 a and 12 b in a pair, second diodes 13 a and 13 b in a pair, a driving IC 14, P terminals 21 a and 21 b in a pair (terminals in a pair), and terminals 22 a, 22 b, 23 a, 23 b and 24. The P terminals 21 a and 21 b in a pair are output terminals of the power module 1, and are provided independently of each other.

The P terminals 21 a and 21 b in a pair, and terminals 22 a, 22 b, 23 a, 23 b and 24 (hereinafter called “terminals 21 a to 24 in a group”) are composed of frames made of metal, for example. The IGBTs 11 a and 11 b, the first diodes 12 a and 12 b, the second diodes 13 a and 13 b, and the driving IC 14 (hereinafter called “elements including the IGBT 11 a”) are provided selectively on the terminals 21 a to 24 in a group. The elements including the IGBT 11 a, parts of the terminals 21 a to 24 in a group, and wire interconnects 26 selectively connecting the elements including the IGBT 11 a and the terminals 21 a to 24, are covered with a package 27.

The IGBTs 11 a and 11 b (semiconductor switching elements) are provided on the terminals 22 a and 22 b respectively. To be specific, the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b have collector electrodes connected to the terminals 22 a and 22 b respectively. Further, the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b have emitter electrodes connected through the wire interconnects 26 to the terminal 23 a, and gate electrodes connected through the wire interconnects 26 to the driving IC 14.

The first diodes 12 a and 12 b have anodes (the other ends) connected through the wire interconnects 26 and the terminals 22 a, 22 b to the collector electrodes of the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b respectively to form a reverse-conducting element in the power module 1. The first diodes 12 a and 12 b are provided on the P terminals 21 a and 21 b respectively. To be specific, the first diodes 12 a and 12 b have cathodes (one ends) connected to the P terminals 21 a and 21 b respectively. In other words, in the first preferred embodiment, the P terminals 21 a and 21 b are connected to the cathodes (one ends) of the first diodes 12 a and 12 b respectively.

The second diodes 13 a and 13 b are provided on the terminals 22 a and 22 b respectively. To be specific, the second diodes 13 a and 13 b have cathodes connected to the terminals 22 a and 22 b respectively. In the first preferred embodiment, the cathodes of the second diodes 13 a and 13 b, and the collector electrodes of the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b, are connected to each other through the terminals 22 a and 22 b respectively. So, the second diodes 13 a and 13 b have a rectifying function to convert AC power (to be specific, AC power supplied from the AC power supply 2 through the inductances 3 a and 3 b) to DC power. The second diodes 13 a and 13 b further have anodes connected through the wire interconnects 26 to the terminal 23 b.

The driving IC 14 (driving part) controls the gate voltages of the IGBTs 1 la and 11 b in a pair to drive the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b in a pair. The driving IC 14 is connected to the terminal 24.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the AC power supply 2 is connected through the inductances 3 a and 3 b in a pair to the terminals 22 a and 22 b in a pair.

The smoothing capacitor 4 (capacitive element) is provided between the P terminals 21 a, 21 b and the ground G. One side of the smoothing capacitor 4 closer to the terminals 21 a and 21 b is placed at positive potential, and the opposite side of the smoothing capacitor 4 closer to the ground G is placed at negative potential.

The inverter 5 is connected in parallel to the smoothing capacitor 4. A node 8 between the smoothing capacitor 4 and the inverter 5 is connected to the P terminals 21 a and 21 b.

An air conditioner related to the air conditioner of the first preferred embodiment (hereinafter called “related air conditioner”) is described next by referring to FIGS. 5 and 6. The related air conditioner differs from the air conditioner of the first preferred embodiment in that the collector electrodes of the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b in a pair are connected through the first diodes 12 a and 12 b in a pair to one P terminal 21, and that the node 8 between the smoothing capacitor 4 and the inverter 5 is connected to this P terminal 21.

In the air conditioner of the first preferred embodiment and in the related air conditioner, in response to switching operation of either the IGBT 11 a or 11 b, a surge voltage determined as the product of di/dt and a parasitic inductance is applied to the positive side of the collector electrode of the other one of the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b. The surge voltage thereby applied triggers an oscillation phenomenon in the power module 1 generated by a series junction capacitance of the first diodes 12 a, 12 b and the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b, and a common impedance of an output interconnect. As a result, noise is generated between the gates and the emitters of the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b during high-speed switching due to dv/dt observed during the oscillation phenomenon.

In the related air conditioner, an output interconnect (interconnect indicated by alternate long and two dashed lines in FIG. 5) extending between a node 9 between the first diodes 12 a and 12 b in a pair and the smoothing capacitor 4 acts as an impedance common to the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b. This common impedance (parasitic inductance) is a relatively high impedance to increase the aforementioned surge voltage, leading to the increase of the aforementioned noise.

In contrast, in the air conditioner of the first preferred embodiment, the collector electrodes of the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b in a pair are connected through the first diodes 12 a and 12 b in a pair to the P terminals 21 a and 21 b in a pair. Further, the node 8 between the smoothing capacitor 4 and the inverter 5 is connected to the P terminals 21 a and 21 b in a pair.

In the air conditioner of the first preferred embodiment having the aforementioned structure, an output interconnect extending between the node 8 and the smoothing capacitor 4 (interconnect indicated by alternate long and two dashed lines in FIG. 1) acts as an impedance common to the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b. This can reduce the common impedance determined by interconnect routing both inside and outside the package 27. As a result, the aforementioned oscillation phenomenon, and eventually, the aforementioned noise generated between the gates and the emitters of the IGBTs 1 la and 11 b can be suppressed. This makes it possible to suppress generation of malfunction due to noise, so that the driving reliability of the power module 1 is enhanced.

Forming semiconductor switching elements as Si-IGBTs (IGBTs 11 a and 11 b) as described above makes process of forming a gate oxide film relatively easy. Such formation of semiconductor switching elements also makes a channel resistance low while making a threshold voltage Vth high, so that capacity to withstand malfunction due to the aforementioned noise can be increased.

Semiconductor switching elements are not limited to Si-IGBTs, but they may also include MOS (metal-oxide semiconductor) transistors made of a wide band gap semiconductor. SiC (silicon carbide) MOS being one of wide band gap semiconductors may be used to form semiconductor switching elements, for example. These semiconductor switching elements are capable of realizing switching at higher speed than Si-IGBTs, so that they are used effectively in the PFC power module 1 required to operate at high frequencies.

Using SiC MOS to form semiconductor switching elements results in higher concentration of a drift layer and higher output capacitance than those achieved by Si-IGBTs (as an example, a resultant PN junction capacitance is from about five to about ten times higher than that achieved by the Si-IGBTs), so that this is considered to intensify the aforementioned oscillation phenomenon to some extent. Meanwhile, the power module 1 having the P terminals 21 a and 21 b in a pair and the air conditioner of the first preferred embodiment are capable of suppressing an oscillation phenomenon as described above, so that an oscillation phenomenon secondarily generated by the use of SiC MOS to form semiconductor switching elements will not be intensified.

Second Preferred Embodiment

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing the structure of an air conditioner of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the structure of a power module provided in the air conditioner of FIG. 3. Constituent elements of the air conditioner of the second preferred embodiment same as or similar to those described in the first preferred embodiment are identified by the same reference numbers. The description of the second preferred embodiment is intended mainly for differences from the first preferred embodiment.

The air conditioner of the second preferred embodiment includes a diode bridge 31 provided between the AC power supply 2 and the inductances 3 a and 3 b in a pair, a resistor 6 a provided between the terminal 23 a and the ground G, and structure of the air conditioner of the first preferred embodiment.

The power module 1 of the second preferred embodiment provides a difference between phases, and has a PFC function responsive to an interleaved system to cancel out ripples and the like. Unlike in the structure of the power module 1 of the first preferred embodiment, in the structure of the power module 1 of the second preferred embodiment, the second diodes 13 a and 13 b for rectification are omitted, and the emitter electrode of the IGBT 11 b is connected through the wire interconnect 26 not to the terminal 23 a but to the terminal 23 b.

In the air conditioner of the second preferred embodiment having the aforementioned structure, an output interconnect extending between the node 8 and the smoothing capacitor 4 (interconnect indicated by alternate long and two dashed lines in FIG. 3) acts as an impedance common to the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b. This can reduce the common impedance determined by interconnect routing both inside and outside the package 27. As a result, like in the air conditioner of the first preferred embodiment, the aforementioned oscillation phenomenon, and eventually, the aforementioned noise generated between the gates and the emitters of the IGBTs 11 a and 11 b can be suppressed. This makes it possible to suppress generation of malfunction due to noise, so that the driving reliability of the power module 1 is enhanced.

In the second preferred embodiment, semiconductor switching elements are not limited to IGBTs (IGBTs 11 a and 11 b), but they may also include MOS (metal-oxide semiconductor) transistors made of a wide band gap semiconductor such as SiC (silicon carbide). SiC MOS transistors are capable of realizing switching at higher speed than Si-IGBTs, so that they are used effectively in the PFC power module 1 required to operate at high frequencies.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention can be combined freely, and each of the preferred embodiments can be modified or omitted where appropriate without departing from the scope of the invention.

While the invention has been shown and described in detail, the foregoing description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive. It is therefore understood that numerous modifications and variations can be devised without departing from the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A power module having a PFC (power factor correction) function, comprising: a pair of semiconductor switching elements including respective transistors made of a wide band gap material; a pair of first diodes each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each first diode connected to a power terminal of a respective semiconductor switching element, the first diodes forming a reverse-conducting element; a pair of second diodes each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each second diode connected to the power terminal of a respective semiconductor switching element, the second diodes having a rectifying function; a driving part that drives said semiconductor switching elements; a package covering said pair of semiconductor switching elements, said pair of first diodes, said pair of second diodes, and said driving part; a pair of rectified output terminals extending independently of each other from the respective second ends of the first diodes to and outwardly from the periphery of the package, the rectified output terminals being different from said power terminals and connected to the second ends of said first diodes, respectively, the second ends of said first diodes being opposite to the first ends of said first diodes to which said semiconductor switching elements are connected; and first and second AC power terminals for connecting each power terminal of said pair of semiconductor switching elements to an AC power supply via a pair of inductances, wherein in one end of said package, said first AC power terminal is provided between said second AC power terminal and one of said pair of rectified output terminals which is connected to said second AC power terminal, and in said one end of said package, said one of said pair of rectified output terminals is provided between other one of said pair of rectified output terminals and said first AC power terminal connected to said other one of said pair of rectified output terminals.
 2. An air conditioner, comprising: a power module; a capacitive element; and an inverter connected to said capacitive element, said power module being a power module having a PFC (power factor correction) function, including: a pair of semiconductor switching elements including respective transistors made of a wide band gap material; a pair of first diodes each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each first diode connected to a power terminal of a respective semiconductor switching element, the first diodes forming a reverse-conducting element; a pair of second diodes each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each second diode connected to the power terminal of a respective semiconductor switching element, the second diodes having a rectifying function; a driving part that drives said semiconductor switching elements; a package covering said pair of semiconductor switching elements, said pair of first diodes, said pair of second diodes, and said driving part; and a pair of rectified output terminals extending independently of each other from the respective second ends of the first diodes to and outwardly from the periphery of the package, the rectified output terminals being different from said power terminals and connected to the second ends of said first diodes, respectively, the second ends of said first diodes being opposite to the first ends of said first diodes to which said semiconductor switching elements are connected; a node between said capacitive element and said inverter connected to said pair of rectified output terminals; and first and second AC power terminals for connecting each power terminal of said pair of semiconductor switching elements to an AC power supply via a pair of inductances, wherein in one end of said package, said first AC power terminal is provided between said second AC power terminal and one of said pair of rectified output terminals which is connected to said second AC power terminal, and in said one end of said package, said one of said pair of rectified output terminals is provided between other one of said pair of rectified output terminals and said first AC power terminal connected to said other one of said pair of rectified output terminals.
 3. A power module having a PFC (power factor correction) function responsive to an interleaved system, comprising: a pair of semiconductor switching elements including respective transistors made of a wide band gap material; a pair of diodes each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each diode connected to a power terminal of a respective semiconductor switching element, the diodes forming a reverse-conducting element; a driving part that drives said semiconductor switching elements; a package covering said pair of semiconductor switching elements, said pair of diodes, and said driving part; a pair of rectified output terminals extending independently of each other from the respective second ends of the diodes to and outwardly from the periphery of the package, the rectified output terminals being different from said power terminal and connected to the second ends of said diodes, respectively, the second ends being opposite to the first ends of said diodes to which said semiconductor switching elements are connected; and first and second AC power terminals for connecting each power terminal of said pair of semiconductor switching elements to an AC power supply via a pair of inductances, wherein in one end of said package, said first AC power terminal is provided between said second AC power terminal and one of said pair of rectified output terminals which is connected to said second AC power terminal, and in said one end of said package, said one of said pair of rectified output terminals is provided between other one of said pair of rectified output terminals and said first AC power terminal connected to said other one of said pair of rectified output terminals.
 4. An air conditioner, comprising: a power module; a capacitive element; and an inverter connected to said capacitive element, said power module being a power module having a PFC (power factor correction) function responsive to an interleaved system, including: a pair of semiconductor switching elements including respective transistors made of a wide band gap material; a pair of diodes each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each diode connected to a power terminal of a respective semiconductor switching element, the diodes forming a reverse-conducting element; a driving part that drives said semiconductor switching elements; a package covering said pair of semiconductor switching elements, said pair of diodes, and said driving part; and a pair of rectified output terminals extending independently of each other from the respective second ends of the diodes to and outwardly from the periphery of the package, the rectified output terminals being different from said power terminals and connected to the second ends of said diodes, respectively, the second ends being opposite to the first ends of said diodes to which said semiconductor switching elements are connected; a node between said capacitive element and said inverter connected to said pair of rectified output terminals; and first and second AC power terminals for connecting each power terminal of said pair of semiconductor switching elements to an AC power supply via a pair of inductances, wherein in one end of said package, said first AC power terminal is provided between said second AC power terminal and one of said pair of rectified output terminals which is connected to said second AC power terminal, and in said one end of said package, said one of said pair of rectified output terminals is provided between other one of said pair of rectified output terminals and said first AC power terminal connected to said other one of said pair of rectified output terminals. 